Greatest Fights In The Animal Kingdom Part 4 | BBC Earth

Summary

The video script narrates the intense struggle for survival in the wild, showcasing various predators and their prey. It features wildebeest facing crocodile attacks, cooperative wolf packs hunting bison, and flying fish evading frigate birds. The script also highlights unique behaviors like the Japanese bees' defense against hornets and cheetahs banding together to take down large prey. It emphasizes the importance of strategy, cooperation, and adaptation in the natural world.

Takeaways

• 🐃 Wildebeest can drink up to eight liters of water in a single session, but they may be unaware of the lurking crocodiles in the river.
• 🐊 Crocodiles are intelligent hunters, living in groups of 300, and use cooperative strategies to take down prey, including the death roll to break prey into chunks.
• 🦍 For baboons, observing predator-prey interactions is akin to a spectator sport, indicating a level of detachment from the immediate danger.
• 🐺 Wolves in northern Canada are the largest and most powerful, hunting in packs of 25 to take down formidable prey like bison.
• 🏞 Bison and wolves have co-evolved, with each becoming the most impressive of its kind due to their ongoing battles.
• 🐟 Flying fish have a unique ability to glide for hundreds of meters, but they are vulnerable to aerial predators like frigate birds.
• 🐠 Predators in the north face challenges in finding food, requiring wolf packs to search vast areas and cooperate to raise their young and hunt larger prey.
• 🦄 Cheetahs, known for their speed, can adapt their hunting tactics to work in groups, allowing them to take down larger prey like ostriches.
• 🦁 Lions, opportunistic hunters, may avoid hunting in extreme heat but can overcome larger prey like bulls with teamwork and persistence.
• 🐝 Japanese bees are sensitive and require understanding of their behavior for successful beekeeping, producing a unique and highly valued honey.
• 🐜 Bees and hornets have a complex relationship, with bees using a heat-based defense mechanism to overcome hornet scouts threatening their hive.

Q & A

How much water can a wildebeest drink in a single session if undisturbed?

A wildebeest can drink up to eight liters of water in a single session if undisturbed.

What is the potential danger that wildebeest may face while drinking water?

Wildebeest may face the danger of crocodile attacks while drinking water, as crocodiles lurk beneath the surface.

How do crocodiles hunt wildebeest in the river?

Crocodiles are intelligent hunters that maneuver around the wildebeest with surprising ease and plot their attacks with precision, striking at any time.

What is the significance of the 'death roll' performed by crocodiles?

The 'death roll' is a technique used by crocodiles to break their prey into bite-sized chunks, making it easier to consume.

How do wolves in northern Canada differ from their southern counterparts?

Wolves in northern Canada are the largest and most powerful in the world, adapted to hunt the even larger bison, which are the largest land animals in North America.

What strategy do wolves use to hunt bison in the open?

Wolves use a team strategy, circling the herd to unsettle and split it up, aiming to isolate smaller or weaker bison for an easier kill.

Why do bison form a defensive circle when threatened by wolves?

Bison form a defensive circle with their young in the center and horns pointing outwards to protect them from the wolves and maintain safety in numbers.

What unique ability do flying fish have to evade predators?

Flying fish have the unique ability to glide for hundreds of meters through the air, using an extra thrust from their tails to take flight and escape predators.

How do frigate birds take advantage of flying fish?

Frigate birds wait for the flying fish to get airborne and then swoop down to catch them in mid-air, exploiting the fish's vulnerability when they are flying.

What cooperative behavior is exhibited by wolves when hunting large prey?

Wolves exhibit cooperative feeding behavior, working together to overpower large prey, and sharing the meal among the pack.

How do Japanese bees respond to a hornet scout discovering their hive?

Japanese bees lure the hornet scout inside the hive and then use their body heat to overheat and roast the hornet alive, utilizing their higher heat tolerance as a defense mechanism.

Outlines

00:00

🐊 Wild Predators and Prey Dynamics

The first paragraph describes the perilous journey of wildebeest as they attempt to quench their thirst at a river teeming with crocodiles. The crocodiles, intelligent and cooperative hunters, use strategy and teamwork to ambush and feed on the wildebeest. Despite the danger, some animals survive and retreat to the plains. The paragraph also touches on the cooperative feeding habits of crocodiles and the impressive size and strength of northern Canadian wolves, which hunt in large packs to take down formidable prey like bison. The narrative highlights the constant struggle for survival among these animals.

05:01

🦈 The Aerial and Aquatic Pursuit

This paragraph focuses on the aerial hunting tactics of frigate birds and the aquatic evasion of flying fish. The flying fish, using their unique ability to glide through the air, attempt to escape from predators above and below. However, the frigate birds are adept at intercepting them mid-flight, while the Dorado fish pose a threat from below. The narrative also shifts to the challenges faced by wolf packs in the north, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and cooperation in raising their young and hunting for larger prey to ensure the pack's survival.

10:17

🐺 Teamwork in the Tundra

The third paragraph delves into the strategies of wolf packs in the harsh northern environment. It describes how the wolves work together to hunt fast-moving prey like the adult hare, using coordinated efforts to prevent the prey from changing direction. The narrative also highlights the importance of the pack's collective efforts in raising their young and the necessity of hunting larger prey to sustain the pack, showcasing the wolves' adaptability and cooperation in the face of challenging conditions.

15:17

🐆 Cheetahs and Lions: Adaptability in Hunting

The fourth paragraph contrasts the hunting strategies of cheetahs and lions. Cheetahs, known for their speed, typically hunt small prey but here, a group of three male cheetahs collaborate to take down a large ostrich, demonstrating adaptability and the power of numbers. Meanwhile, lions, opportunistic hunters, face the challenge of hunting in extreme heat and must bring down a formidable bull quickly to avoid overheating. The narrative underscores the importance of strategy and cooperation in the hunt for survival.

20:25

🦁 Lion Cubs Learning to Hunt

This paragraph follows young lion cubs in the Serengeti as they learn to hunt without the guidance of older lionesses. The cubs must rely on trial and error, using stealth and cover to approach their prey, the oryx. The narrative highlights the cubs' development of hunting skills and the challenges they face in learning to be effective predators, emphasizing the process of growth and adaptation in the wild.

25:28

🐝 Bees and Hornets: A Battle for Survival

The sixth paragraph shifts focus to the world of bees and hornets, detailing the intricate dynamics of their coexistence. Japanese bees, sensitive and requiring careful handling, produce a unique honey that attracts hornet scouts. The narrative describes the bees' defense mechanism against the hornets, where they lure the scouts into the hive and use their heat tolerance to overcome the invaders. The paragraph also touches on the challenges faced by the bees during the changing seasons and the importance of honey production for both survival and human harvest.

30:34

🔥 The Bees' Thermal Defense Strategy

The final paragraph delves deeper into the bees' unique defense strategy against hornets. It describes how the bees use their superior heat tolerance to defeat the hornets by generating heat through their collective vibration, effectively roasting the intruders alive. The narrative highlights the evolutionary advantage of this strategy, which has been developed over millions of years of coexistence with their natural enemies, the hornets.

Keywords

💡Wildebeest

Wildebeest, also known as gnu, are large antelopes native to Africa. They are significant in the video's theme as they represent the prey in the predator-prey relationship. The script describes how wildebeest drink in a single session and their encounter with crocodiles, illustrating their vulnerability and the constant threat they face in the wild.

💡Crocodile

Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles known for their ambush hunting tactics. In the video's narrative, they are portrayed as predators lurking beneath the water surface, waiting to attack unsuspecting wildebeest. The script highlights the crocodiles' hunting strategy and their cooperative feeding behavior, which is central to the survival theme of the video.

💡Predator

A predator is an animal that hunts and kills other animals for food. The video showcases various predators such as crocodiles, wolves, and cheetahs, each employing different hunting strategies. The term is integral to the video's theme, illustrating the struggle for survival and the tactics used by predators to secure their next meal.

💡Prey

Prey refers to animals that are hunted and eaten by predators. The script provides examples of wildebeest, bison, and ostriches as prey, emphasizing their vulnerability and the constant need for vigilance against predators. The concept of prey is essential to understanding the dynamic balance of nature depicted in the video.

💡Cooperative Feeding

Cooperative feeding is a behavior where animals work together to hunt and share food. In the video, crocodiles are shown to engage in this behavior, using teamwork to overpower their prey. This concept is crucial to understanding the social dynamics and survival strategies of certain species.

💡Stampede

A stampede is a sudden, uncontrolled movement of a group of animals, often caused by fear or panic. In the script, the wildebeest and bison are described as stampeding in response to threats from predators. This behavior is a survival tactic to escape danger and is a key element in the video's portrayal of the wild's chaotic nature.

💡Ambush

An ambush is a surprise attack, often from a concealed position. The video script describes wolves and crocodiles using ambush tactics to catch their prey off guard. This strategy is highlighted as a common predatory behavior, showcasing the cunning and patience of hunters in the wild.

💡Frigate Birds

Frigate birds are a type of seabird known for their exceptional flying abilities and unique hunting techniques. In the video, they are depicted hunting flying fish, illustrating the bird's aerial prowess and the constant adaptation required for survival in the natural world.

💡Flying Fish

Flying fish are a unique group of fish that can glide through the air for short distances to escape predators. The script describes how they use this ability to evade frigate birds, highlighting the ongoing evolutionary arms race between predators and prey.

💡Dorado

Dorado, also known as mahi-mahi or dolphinfish, are predatory fish that can be found in warm ocean waters. In the script, they are mentioned as a potential threat to flying fish if they dive to avoid aerial predators. This reference underscores the multi-faceted dangers faced by prey in aquatic ecosystems.

💡Survival of the Fittest

Survival of the fittest is a concept from evolutionary biology that suggests that organisms best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. The video script exemplifies this principle through the various hunting and defensive strategies of predators and prey, respectively, emphasizing the ongoing struggle for existence in the natural world.

Highlights

Wildebeest can drink eight liters in a single session if undisturbed.

Crocodiles are intelligent hunters, maneuvering around prey with precision and plotting attacks.

300 hungry crocodiles live in the mighty river, posing a significant threat to wildebeest.

Wildebeest calves' thirst can overcome their fear of predators like crocodiles.

Crocodiles use cooperative feeding strategies, including the death roll to break prey into chunks.

Wolves in northern Canada are the largest and most powerful, hunting formidable prey like bison.

Wolves and bison have been shaped by their battles with each other, making them the most impressive of their kind.

Bison form a defensive circle around their young with horns pointing outwards for protection.

Flying fish have a unique ability to glide for hundreds of meters with the help of their tails.

Frigate birds exploit the flying fish's vulnerability when they gain too much lift, making them easy prey.

Wolf packs must search vast areas to find enough food to raise the next generation.

Japanese bees are sensitive and require great patience and skill to keep, with unique honey production.

Japanese bees have developed a survival strategy against hornets by overheating them within a beehive.

Cheetahs, known for their speed, have learned to hunt in groups to take down larger prey like ostriches.

Lions in extreme conditions must bring down prey quickly to avoid overheating.

Young lions learn to hunt through trial and error, using the environment to their advantage.

Hornets are a significant threat to beehives, but Japanese bees have an effective defense mechanism.

Transcripts

If undisturbed

wildebeest can drink eight liters in a single session.

perhaps,

As his confidence builds,

he is oblivious to what lurks beneath

the surface,

but is bewildered.

And some have never seen a crocodile before.

And even as the full horror unfolds,

there is great confusion about just what is going on.

And that was just the first attack.

300 hungry crocodiles

live in the mighty river.

Wildebeest react

differently to crocodiles and other predators.

Even the adults seem unsure of just how much danger

they're in.

The calf desire

to quench your thirst overcomes any fear

he may have.

The crocodiles maneuver

around them with surprising ease.

They are intelligent hunters

plotting that attack with precision.

A strike can happen at any time.

Despite the carnage, the mother and calf survive.

They stampede back onto the plains.

For the baboons,

it's more like a spectator sport.

They might as well settle down.

A single croc can take some time to overpower

its victims.

But crocodiles are cooperative feeders.

They work together.

The death roll

breaks the prey into bite sized chunks.

But aggression can spill over.

Wolves.

These in northern Canada are the largest and most powerful in the world.

And they are setting out a

The pack is 25 strong,

a sign that the prey they are seeking is formidable

and these bison are even bigger than their southern cousins

and the largest land animals in North America.

Four generations, wolves and bison here, have been shaped by their battles

with each other, making each the most impressive of its kind.

The bison will not stay long among the trees.

They're not safe here.

The wolves are closing in,

but their chance of ambushing the bison in the woods has passed.

Their prey are now in the open and grouped together

for safety.

The wolves want to need to work as a team

with them to make a kill.

They circle

the herd, trying to unsettle it and split it up.

But the bison are armed and dangerous.

They will be safe as long as they stick together.

The wolves up their game harrying the herd,

a ploy to trigger a stampede and spit away one of the smaller

ones.

The bison form a defensive circle

around their young horns, pointing outwards.

The wolves need the bison to break rank,

but the tables are turning and now the wolves have to retreat

from the pack.

Focus their attention on the rear of the herd and the bison

begin to panic.

A young bison falls behind

them.

Even this yearling dwarfs the wolves

running heads down the herd.

Only thought is escape

the stroke of luck for the wolves

exiting the.

The kill will feed

the pack for several days, but then they will have to resume

the chase at the frozen ends of our planet.

The struggle for survival never eases.

Little fish

try to hide amidst the undulating swell of the ocean.

The only cover there is

it's a game of hide

and seek played out amongst the waves

that cover blown

escape teams.

Impossible.

But these particular fish

have a unique ability.

They are flying fish

with an extra thrust from their tails.

The flying fish get airborne once more

and with a good

wind they can glide for hundreds of meters.

But this is just

what the frigate birds have been waiting for.

When frigates join the hunt,

the flying fish are literally caught between the devil

and the deep blue sea.

If the flying fish get too much lift,

they become easy prey for the frigates.

If they dive to evade attack from above,

they could fall into the mouths

of the Dorado.

Food is so hard

to find this far north that a wolf pack must search

hundreds of square kilometers if it's to be successful.

And success means raising

the next generation.

To do that here,

the wolves must work together.

So the young are raised

not only by their parents, but by their aunts and uncles as well.

Together, they

try to ensure that each pup reaches near adult size

before the snow returns.

The growing pup

needs more than just a few, however, it's.

The wolves need bigger prey.

And to catch that

they must hunt as a pack.

The adult house may be easy to spot,

but they are far from easy to catch.

They run at 60 kilometers an hour

to catch one.

The wolves work as a team

member,

and one of them gets close enough

to fight the has tail and

can change direction in an instant

if it can continue to sidestep and drink.

It may ultimately outclass,

but finally it gets away

and for the next half,

the whole pack keeps chase.

Now numbers count

the lead.

Wolves keep up the pace.

Others run on either side so the hare can't change direction.

A tiny meal for the whole

Kenya, famous for its big cats.

The supreme hunters.

Cheetahs specialize in hunting at speed,

though fast, they are fragile creatures built to sprint

after small prey.

They don't have the strength or weight of a lion to bring down

larger animals.

This male is different.

He doesn't hunt alone.

He's learned that there is strength in numbers.

But here

there are not just two, but three cheetahs.

A band of brothers.

They have changed their tactics

and by doing so, have taken their prey by surprise.

They have learned that working together, they can bring down

large prey.

An ostrich.

A bird that towers over a cheetah

and is more than twice as heavy.

It can't fly to escape danger, but it can lash out with a deadly kick.

A female unaware as yet of any danger.

Even with three of them, this is still highly risky.

If one gets injured, the other two couldn't hope to tackle

such large prey.

On the other hand,

if they get it right, the rewards are huge.

The male has spotted

one of the brothers, but only one.

It's not too worried.

Then suddenly there are three.

The female is slow to realize the danger

and the cheetahs switch targets.

It takes the combined effort and weight

of all three brothers to bring down this powerful bird.

Even now, the ostrich could land a fatal

kick.

So far, the brothers are winning.

Ostriches have yet to find a way to foil

such.

Lions

will normally avoid hunting in such heat.

But they're also opportunists.

The lions will need to bring him down quickly

before they overheat.

But even away from the herd,

a bull is a formidable opponent.

He could go and kill a lion.

Of course, to overheat.

Shouldn't they finally succeed in bringing him to the ground?

But the massive bull is not giving up.

Against the odds and the full weight of the lions,

he regains his feet.

And it is now that the tables turn.

The lions are exhausted

after a 20 minute struggle.

Only the bull has the energy to finish the fight

in such exposed and extreme conditions.

The challenge for predators and their prey

is at its most intense.

In the Serengeti, youngsters

spend years watching how older lionesses tackle large prey.

However, it looks as though

these cubs will have to teach themselves through trial

and error.

Even they begin to stalk like seasoned hunters,

using the scant cover to conceal themselves.

They have to be incredibly quiet.

Oryx are spooked by the slightest sound.

One of the youngsters looks as though it's made a mistake.

It's broken.

Cover,

actually, very cleverly.

It's pushing the oryx towards the other

lion.

it's.

And Oryx is quite capable of seeing off a lamb

as long as the antelope stands its ground and doesn't run.

But will the oryx keep its nerve?

Finally, the youngsters lose heart.

Back in the hive,

those bees too young to forage a housekeeping

were like the Hornet queen.

The Queen bee has the immeasurable task of laying enough eggs

to ensure the health and future of the colony.

The custom of keeping

wild Japanese bees is as old as society itself, and Yamaguchi has kept bees

since boyhood.

Japanese bees

are so sensitive that it takes great patience and skill to keep them.

The art of keeping them lies in

understanding their behavior.

They make honey stores for the winter,

but they also produce enough for Yamaguchi to harvest.

Japanese bees

may produce less honey than European bees,

but the taste is very special.

It's the smell of this growing store of energy rich honey,

which could be their downfall if it draws in the Hornet Scout.

But right now,

the Hornets have other problems to contend with.

The nest is now monstrous.

The workers have excavated over a ton of Earth.

There are so many bodies living at close quarters

that the Queen and her dynasty are in danger of overheating.

So workers create air conditioning,

keeping a steady flow of fresh air circulating and

being unable to cope with high temperatures.

Is a giant Hornets Achilles heel.

The warmth of the hornet's nest belies

the change in season.

Seasons change fast up here in the mountains,

and when autumn arrives, there are far fewer

insects around.

This means

my hives are even more vulnerable to attack.

For me, it's an anxious time

in the search for autumnal food.

A Scout hornet discovers Yamaguchi is wild bees

and the honeybees fan an alarm pheromones through the air.

This alerts the whole hive to the hornet's presence.

The scout smells the honey within a prize.

This rich is worth scent marking.

But unlike the European

bees, these Japanese bees do not attack.

Instead, they lure the scout inside.

Still, the bees hang fire.

Then one is caught.

It's the signal the others have been waiting for.

And surrounded by vibrating bodies.

The hornet at the core of the Beagle begins to overheat.

The bees have the advantage.

A heat tolerance two degrees above that of their enemy

at 46 degrees Celsius.

The aggressor is roasted alive.

The wild bees have spent

millions of years living with the enemy.

That's why they alone have developed this extraordinary survival strategy.